First Week

I survived my first week of classes!

Impressions after a few classes: Everyone else in my class is the cream of the crop. They are the top 10% of their...respective realms. I am the stupid one. BUT, I'm really enjoying my classes so far. Sure it was only the first week (easy to say that now, right?) but honestly, the material fascinates me. And that is step #1, isn't it?

I think life is a funny business. Two years ago, this time, I never would have dreamed that I'd be entering UT Law in 2007. Never. I didn't want to go into law, and I certainly would never have thought myself 'smart' enough for it...especially for a school like UT. This time one year ago, I wanted to go into law, but I definitely didn't think I'd get into a school like UT. In fact, as I recall, when I came home from the LSAT my words to my folks were: "We'd better start praying that some school somewhere takes me!" But I was pretty sure it would be a third or fourth tier school.

So I guess that's all just one more testimony to God. And I admit, it's pretty cool to see His hand in everything. I'm exhausted right now -- trying to move in during the first week of one's classes at a new school is never a good idea -- but it's been fun. I think I'm happy here. I think this is gonna be a good three years.

Lessons learned so far:
When going to law school, move in a week before classes start. It stinks to be unpacking at 4 am the night before orientation.
Socratic method isn't all that scary after all...maybe.
Do not, I repeat do not develop a cough that lingers through your first week of classes. (I swear I'm practically suffocating myself to avoid coughing in class and instead of successfully smothering the cough in question, I just sound like I'm suffering from hysterics....my poor professors probably all think I'm about to burst into tears!)
Don't be late to the bus stop. Blessing of public transportation: cost-effectiveness. Curse: the bus-drivers won't speed if you're running five minutes late. sigh.



p.s. appropriately, THIS is post is in burnt orange. In case you live under a rock, burnt orange is UT's color.

Orientation

Law School....

I think I gathered this much today. First, law school is completely awesome. It's way more exciting than anything I've tried thus far, way harder, way more challenging, way more rewarding. At least, I think that's what I can expect. ;-)

Second, I picked the right school for me. I already love it here.

Third, the professors are amazing. Sure, sure I only heard their orientation speeches -- but they were very inspiring orientation speeches!

Fourth, everyone says it takes a lot more time than undergrad, so this blog thing might die after all. ;-)

Wow. Whew. So after getting over that flu (was that seriously the last time I posted!? Gosh...) I took a last minute flight to North Carolina to visit certain people, got home just in time to go to West Texas with my family, and now tomorrow I start law school.

Dang. So two things not to do: go on vacations literally the week/day before you have to move into your law-school-apartment. No, I'm not at all overwhelmed at the moment.
I'm also not at all packed. Yay!

Yes the forces that be combined to nearly kill my fragile, infant attempt at a blog...either that or I just mislaid my mutli-tasking knack in law school! But I think I'm back...for now...maybe.
AND, (drum roll please) it's all over and done with and finished and for sure, for sure: I am going to UT!!!!! (That's the University of Texas School of Law (www.utexas.edu/law ), in case you don't know. It's only the coolest law school EVER). Yes it took forever for the last, final decision...gosh, applying to law school is an intense, character-building, trial-by-fire process! But thank God it's over and all I have to do now is get the last of my books. And seriously, if anyone you know ever decides to go to law school, tell them they should probably go to UT. I mean not only is it the coolest law school ever, but it's also conveniently located in Austin (home of South by Southwest AND Austin City Limits), and LeTourneau doesn't have a law school, plus they have about the greatest financial aid office ever (they made my life much much better), and, let's face it, I'm there.

And if anyone ever wants to go out to West Texas for a vacation, I can HIGHLY recommend the Gage Hotel ( http://www.gagehotel.com ) in Marathon. I'll try to post pictures later but...it's AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think it got left behind in 1860 and stayed wonderful when the rest of the world went modern. It's also conveniently located near Big Bend National Park.....which is not Chihuahua-friendly. My mom might have taken her Chihuahua on the vacation, and possibly along to Big Bend...apparently they attract bears and mountain lions. Chihuahuas, that is, not moms.

Chihuahuas also dislike the heat of the Rio Grande Valley, preferring the air-conditioned car interior. To be perfectly honest, I think moms feel the same way about the heat.
Really, though, it was a wonderful retreat from the world right before the rigors of my 1L year, and I fell completely in love with the untamed desert out there and the sheer immensity of the sky. It really still is the "west" in that idealised way we all think of it, an empty, wild land with loan ranches and brave loners.